Refrigerator drawer



Nov. so, 1948. o. A. LA VALLEE 2,455,182

REFRIGERATOR DRAWER Filed Nov. 1, 1946 Sheets-Sheet 1 v m] Jmmmmm mum Q 1943- o. A. LA. VALLEE ZAEJ REFRIGERATOR DRAWER Filed NOV. 1, 1946 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NQV. 3@, F948. 0. A. LA VALLEE REFRIGERATOR DRAWER F5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov 1, 1946 Patented 2,455,182 nara eaaa'roa naan 8 Claims.

ery are all disposed in a drawer which is slid laterally from an insulating cabine The principal objects of'this-invention tame" in providing a refrigerating device which is of low over-all height, may be constructed of any suitable shape to fit into the furniture of a kitchen or the like; wherein all of the cooling compartments are contained within a drawer which is slidable laterally from an insulating cabinet; wherein the entire refrigerating system is housed in such a drawer to permit easy accessibility for inspection or repair; wherein a novel and improved insulating and heat sealing means is incorporated into the refrigerator cabinet to permit easy manipulation of the drawer; wherein simultaneous control means are provided for latching or unlatching the slidable drawer and applying or releasing the insulating and sealing closure of the drawer.

These, together with various ancillary objects of the invention, which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds. These ancillary objects envision and include'the provision of an insulating and sealing closure for the refrigerator compartments which closure is vertically movable between its open and closed positions together with compact, efiicient and dependable mechanism for efiecting such movement. The objects set forth are realized by my invention, one embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only, in the accom panyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the refrigerating device with the drawer partly open; Figure 2 is an elevational view of the refrigerator, with the drawer being shown in longitudinal sectional view;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view being taken substantially upon the line 3--3 of Figure 2; a

Figure 4 is a horizontalsectional view showing the interior of the drawer,'and is taken substantially upon the line d-il of Figure 2;

' Figure 5 is a detail view in transverse vertical section and is taken substantially upon the section line 5-5 of Figure 3; E

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view throng the refrigerator and is a view in detail similar to a portion of Figure 3 but showing the open position;

Figure 'I is a vertical sectional detail view being and further comprises a. freezing comp rtment. 32 which is preferably mounted above the'motor' take: substantially upon the line i-l of Figure v Figure 8 is a detail view in vertical section showing the ice cube trays in the freezing chamber and is taken substantially upon the section line 88 of Figure 4; and.

Figure 9 is ahorizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the section line, 9-9 of Figure 8.

Reference is now made more particularly to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals indicate similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein numeral l0. designates a housing or cabinet constituting the outer casing of my improved refrigerator, and which may be formed of any suitable materials and in various preferred shapes, and which receives for lateral sliding movement therefrom a drawer i2. As shown best in Figures 1 and 3, the lower portion of the housing I0 is preferably recessed inwardly .as at it, to provide clearance for purposes which will be apparent. As shown more fully in Figure 2, the housing It is provided with a chamber it which snugly receives the drawer i2, and which is provided with supporting rails it having suitable anti-friction rows and cooperating with the drawer i2 to support the same in an easily movable and guided manner. The drawer is provided preferably with a metallic outer casing 2t and is formed with a chamber 22 at the lower side thereof for the purpose of housing a motor compressor refrigerating unit indicated generally at 26. It will be understood that the refrigerating unit which may be of any desired type. is detachably secured within the compartment 22 and that access thereto for inspection or repairs as necessary may be obtained by suitable openings, not shown. v

The casing 283 of the drawer i2 is lined with insulating material 26 in a known manner, and is further provided with an interior lining 28 which may be of metal covered by porcelain or the like, and which interior lining is arranged to provide a storage compartment 3% for receiving chilled food, beverages, frozen produce or the liire,

compartment 22 and whose insulated wallshave embedded therein .f reezi ng coils it of a known and conventional type and which are connected as at 36 with the refrigerating unit 2%. Suitable perforations 3i establish communication between the freezing compartment 32 and the storage compartment 38, to permit circulation of air and the difl'usion of cooling air currents therebetween.

In order to completely insulate the chambers within the drawer l2, and prevent the leakage of heat thereinto, I provide a sealing and insulating means which may be easily applied to and removed from the drawer, when it becomes necessary to obtain access to the latter. For this purpose, a sealing cover of insulating material 88 preferably in the form of a plate of sufficient size to fully cover the top of the drawer, is pivotally and adjustably supported from the top surface 48 of the chamber l8, by means of toggle links 42 pivoted as at 44 intermediate their ends. Figure 5 indicates the position of the mechanism and of the sealing cover 38 when the refrigerator is closed, while Figure 7 indicates their positions when the sealing cover is raised and the refrigerating drawer is open. A control shaft 48 is suitablyjournaled in the front and rear walls of the housing ill in any suitable manner, and is provided with crank arms 48 to which are secured connecting links 58 constituting actuating means which are connected to the fulcrums 44 of the toggle links 42, in such manner that rotation of the shaft 48 from the position shown in Figure 5 to that shown in Figure 7 will break the toggle and thereby elevate the sealing cover 88, thus releasing the top surface of the drawer 12 for sliding movement in the casing or housing i8.

As shown best in Figure 1, the operating shaft 48 is provided with an operating handle 52 which is preferably oscillatably disposed in a recess 84 in the front of the housing Ill and the signal light 88 is likewise mounted in the front surface thereof for a purpose to be later set forth. Suitable electrical conductors connect the signal light 58 with a control switch 88 mounted within the chamber l8 in a position adjacent .to a toggle link pin 44, and the switch is provided with a depending actuating arm 88 so positioned as to be engaged by the pivoted ends of the toggle links 42 when the toggle is broken, as shown in Figure '7. By this means, whenever the actuating mechanism is operated to raise the sealing-member 88 the unsealed condition of the drawer will be indicated by the signal light 88.

Attention is now directed to Figure 3 which shows a foot operated means which may be employed as desired, in place of the manual operating meets for releasing the sealing engagement of the cover member 88 from the drawer i2. For this purpose, a foot operated lever 82 is suitably mounted upon a fulcrum 84 within the casing l8 and extends through a slot in the front wall of said casing, and is disposed to reciprocate vertically a push rod 88 which is suitably journaled in bearings 88 carried by the frame of the casing l8. At its upper end, as shown best in Figure 5, the push rod 88 engages a bell crank 18 journaled as at 12 upon the upper surface 48 of the casing l8, said bell crank I8 being connected by a link 14 to a crank arm 48 upon the shaft 48. .By the foregoing, it will be seen that the crank shaft 48 may be operated-either by the manual means 82 orv the foot means 82.

Attention is now directed more specifically to Figure 6, and Figure 2, wherein it will be seen that'the opposite sides of the drawer l2 are provided with forwardly extending angle iron members l6 constituting supporting ribs upon opposite sides of the drawer, whose upper surfaces constitute roller supporting cam members and provided at their front ends with downwardly extending latch portions I8. Slidably Journaled in suitable lugs or brackets 88 secured upon the inner surface of the casing II and disposed above the lateral flanges or strip Ii, are a pair of support members 82 preferably in the form of rods which are rigidly attached to the sealing cover 88 and whose lower ends carry anti-friction rollrides upon the cam member IS, the cover 88 is held in its upward position, while when the roller 84 is disposed beyond the end 18 of the member 18, which position occurs when the drawer is in its closed position as in Figure 3, the latch extension 18 is positioned behind the rollers 84 and the rod 82, whereby the two latter elements constitute a latching means for retaining the drawer in its closed position. As shown best in Figure 3, suitable spring means preferably in the form of resilience steel strips 88 aremounted in any convenient manner upon the back surface of the compartment i8, and pressed against the rear portion of the drawer i2 toyieldingly urge the latter forwardly and out of the casing l8. It will thus be seen that when the cover 88 is raised either by manual operation and handle 52 or foot operation of the pedal 82, the toggle link mecha nism elevates the sealing means 38 and with it elevates and retracts the support rod 82 thus disengaging the latching action between the roller 84 and the latch member 18, whereupon the springs 88 urge the drawer forwardly of the housing l8 and the cam surfaces 16 are disposed beneath the roller 84. The opening means whether 52 or 62 may now be released, and the rollers and support rods 84 and 82 rest upon the cam surfaces 18 and prevent lowering of the sealing means 88 until the drawer is again closed, whereupon the latching means 84 will again engage with the latch 18.

Attention is next directed to Figures 8 and 9 which illustrate a suitable form of ice freezing trays which may be disposed in the freezing compartment 32. As shown, a suitable wire frame work 81 is provided which is snugly receivable in the freezing chamber 32 and which is provided with laterally spaced series of semi-circular grooves 88 which are adapted to loosely engage against guide strips 88 formed in an end wall of the compartment 32 and a partition 9| extending vertically therein. A series of ice trays 92 having their upper edges rolled over or beaded are engaged detachably in the semi-circular recesses or seats 88, for support thereby. It willbe understood that when the frame workl'l is raised or removed from the freezing compartment, the trays 82 may be removed endwise therefrom. Rubber buttons or the like 84 are provided between the bottom of framework 81 and the bot.- tom of the freezing compartment to prevent one from freezing to the other and to permit the frame to be removed or raised easily.

That portion of the freezing chamber 82 upon the other side of the partition 9| from the ice trays 82 may conveniently'be employed as a deep freezing or quick freezing unit for chilling prod uce or food which it is desired to subsequently store in the compartment 88.

I claim:

1. A refrigerator comprising a housing, a drawer slidable laterally from said housing, a refrigerant liquefying unit housed in a chamber in said drawer, said drawer having-an insulating liner in the walls and .bottom thereof and partition means defining freezing and food storage compartments; refrigerating coils connected with said refrigerant liquefying unit and embedded in said insulating liner, a sealing cover of insulating material carried by said housing above said drawer, latch means for retaining said drawer in closed position and means for vertically'lowering and elevating said sealing cover for respectively sealing and unsealing said drawer.

2. A refrigerator comprising a housing, a drawer siidable laterally from said housing, a refrigerant liquefying unit housed in a chamber in said drawer, said drawer having an insulating liner in the walls and bottom thereof and partition means defining freezing and food storage compartments, refrigerating coils connected with said refrigerant liquefying unit and embedded in said insulating liner, a sealing cover of insuliner in the walls and bottom thereof and partilating material carried by said housing above said drawer, latch means for retaining said drawer in closed position, means for vertically moving said sealing cover for sealing and unseai ing said drawer, and cam means carried by said drawer for maintaining said sealing cover in raised position when said drawer is open.

3. A refrigerator comprising a housing, a drawer siidable laterally from said housing, a refrigerant liquefying unit housed in a chamber in said drawer, said drawer having an insulating liner in the walls and bottom thereof and partition means defining freezing and food storage compartments, refrigerating coils connected with said refrigerant liquefying unit and embedded in said insulating liner, a sealing cover of insulating material carried by said housing above said drawer, latch means for retaining said drawer in closed position, means for vertically moving said sealing cover for sealing and unsealing said drawer, cam means carried by said drawer for maintaining said sealing cover in raised position when said drawer is open, support members carried by said sealing means and engageable with said cam means, said support members cooperating with a portion of said cam means'to constitute a latch for retaining said said refrigerant liquefying unit and Embedded in said insulating liner, a sealing coverof insulating. material carried by said housing above said drawer, latch means for retaining said tion means defining freezing and food storage compartments, refrigerating coils connected with said refrigerant liquefying unit and embedded in said insulating liner, a sealing cover of insulating material carried by said housing above said drawer, latch' means for retaining said drawer in closed position, means for vertically moving said sealing cover for sealing and unsealing said drawer, said last mentioned means including toggle links pivotally supporting said sealing cover above said drawer, actuating means for operating said toggle links, said actuating means including a rotatable crank shaft, connect-- ing rods pivoted to cranks on said crank shaft and to said toggles, and a foot pedal secured to said housing, and a connecting linkage connecting said pedal to said crank shaft.

7. A refrigerator comprising a housing, a drawer siidable laterally from said housing, a refrigerant liquefying unit housed in a chamber irrsaid drawer, said drawer having an insulating liner in the walls and bottom thereof and partition means defining freezing'and food storage compartments, refrigerating coils connected with said refrigerant liquefying unit and embedded in said insulating liner, a sealing cover of insulating material carried by said housing above said drawer, latch means for retaining said drawer in closed position, means for vertically moving said sealing cover for'sealing and unsealing said drawer, said last mentioned means including toggle links pivotally supporting said sealing cover above said drawer, actuating means for operating said toggle links, a signal light on said housing and switch means operable by a connecting rod for controlling said signal light in accordance with the position of said toggle mechanism.

8. A refrigerator comprising a housing, a drawer siidable laterally from said housing, a refrigerant liquefying unit housed in a chamber in said drawer, said drawer having an insulating drawer in closed position and means for vertically moving said sealing cover for sealing and unsealing said drawer, said last mentioned means including toggle links pivotally supporting said sealing cover above said drawer, and actuating means for operating said toggle links. I

5. A refrigerator comprising a housing, a

drawer-siidable laterally from said housing, a

refrigerant liquefying unithoused in a chamber in said drawer, said drawer having an insulating liner in the walls and bottom thereof and partltion means defining freezing and food storage compartments, refrigerating coils connected with said refrigerant liquefying unit and, embedded in said insulating liner, a sealing cover of insulating material carried by said housing above said drawer, latch means for retaining said drawer in closed position, means for vertically moving said sealing cover for sealing and unsealing said drawer. said last mentioned means in- 75 2,288,511

liner in the walls and bottomthereof and partition means defining freezing and food storage compartments, refrigerating coils connected with said refrigerant liquefying unit and embedded in-said insulating liner, a sealing cover of insulating material carried by said housing above said drawer, latch meansfcrretaining said drawer in closed position, means for vertically moving said sealing cover for sealing and unsealing said drawer, said last mentioned means simultaneously raising said sealing cover and disengaging said latch means.

, OSCAR A. LA VALLEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED s'ra'ms PATENTS Number 7 Name Date 1.825.694 Hobart Oct. 6, 1931 1,952,422 Copeman Mar. 27, 19 34 Thaxter Apr. 15, 1941 

